


Heroes and Damsels

by ZaynCentric



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: 10k, Alternate Universe - Superheroes/Superpowers, He ends up with one of them, M/M, The boys are superheroes, Zayn is the damsel, zayn centric
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-09-20
Updated: 2014-09-20
Packaged: 2018-02-18 03:17:59
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 10,736
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2333300
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ZaynCentric/pseuds/ZaynCentric
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Prompt: You should do a prompt where the lads are superheroes and Zayn is the damsel in distress (it can be au or band idc) omgzz I heart u !!</p>
            </blockquote>





	Heroes and Damsels

*Age changes involved

Louis – 19, Liam -19, Niall – 18, Harry – 18, Zayn – 17)

“This is Terra Martin, reporting at the scene of the robbery. Police have surrounded the building, barricading all exits. This is the fifth bank robbery this month; with the sudden increase in crime all over Europe, it seems that not a day will go by without chaos.” A middle aged woman with gray hair just beginning to show was forced to speak loudly to be heard over the sirens and police men screaming orders. From behind her, you could see the flashing lights and people decked with impressive uniforms moving around quickly. Thomas Newman, one of the anchors in the studio, was speaking to her through her earpiece.

“I’ve heard there are hostages in the bank, is this true?”

“Yes, Thomas, there’s believed to be a group of ten inside. Alex Johnson, our local chief, has attempted to come to a compromise with the group for the safe return of the hostages, but he’s had no luck so far.”

The sound of a gun firing caused everyone to jump, and almost immediately, the chaos outside increased tenfold. The sounds of people screaming, most likely friends and family of the hostages, only added to the hectic atmosphere. The shots continued, one, two, finally stopping at three; then all that was left was silence.

“Terra, do you have any information about the shooting?” Terra shook her head frightfully, turning to the camera with obvious fear on her face. The microphone shook in her grip as she tried to speak over the noise.

“No, we can only pray that none of the hostages have been hurt; or worse, killed.”

“Terra, where is One Direction?”

“That’s a question everyone has been asking.”

xxx

“Louis, you promised you would take this seriously.” Liam spoke into his ear piece, scolding the eldest boy of the group. Using the smoke vents from the building next door as cover, Liam had a clear view of the side and front of the bank. The gun shots had put everyone on edge, including himself.

“And you promised me these suits would be fine, you twat. Never once did you mention spandex, you insufferable-“

“Is now really the time for this?” Niall whispered from his spot behind one of the desks in the large bank. Though his invisibility had easily helped him inside without being noticed, he could still be heard if he wasn’t careful. Across from him was the large vault, where the hostages were currently being held (he could also confirm that there was fifteen, not ten). The group of robbers, he’s counted six, knew a lot more than the boys had assumed.

“The shots? Was anyone hurt?” Harry worriedly asked, his eyes focused on all exits of the bank in his eyesight. He was positioned on the building on the other side of the bank, feeling useless and miserable. Though he and Liam were considered the strongest of the group, their powers would be almost no help. Liam’s pyrotechnics and his weather manipulation were great in combat but were more dangerous than helpful in situations like this. Conjuring a tornado at will would only cause more damage (no matter how cool he looks while doing it).

“No, just warning shots. These guys are starting to get paranoid; they think the police are planning to come storming in any minute now.”

“Well, our only choice is obvious. I’ll sneak out the hostages and you guys handle the bad guys. Then we go to Nandos for celebration, Liam’s treat, of course.” Louis spoke up, bored of hiding amongst the large group of spectators outside. The baggy jeans and hoodie he wore over his suit were not only hideous, but they only made the heat seem worse.

“Louis, you’re fast, but not that fast; there’s no way in hell you can get everyone out in time. There are two guards in the vault and the other three are scattered around the room. And this is just the people I can see; there can be more here.” Niall grew quiet as one of the men walked past the desk he hid behind, finally exhaling when he was out of ear shot.

“Then we get the bad guys first. If we can keep them away from the hostages then we’ll try your plan Louis.”

“And what exactly is the plan?”

“We get their attention, of course.” Liam smiled, almost guilty, at the adrenaline rush that ran through him as he jumped off of the roof. Only a few feet in the air, his entire body was covered with flames (Harry had said he was cheating since that was the Human Torches’ signature move). He flew ungracefully through one of the windows that had been boarded up by the robbers, landing on the tiled floor rather awkwardly. There was a dull pain in his right shoulder but he decided to ignore it, scanning the room for threats.

From across the room he could see Harry had the same thought; he stood with glass fragments around his feet and a broken window above him. They were in the center of the bank, and to his left, was the vault room. He saw Niall jump up from behind one of the desks but didn’t see Louis.

The noise had obviously grabbed the attention of the thieves, and four of them raced into the room, pistols in hand. With the clichéd black, matching outfits and ski masks, Liam could barely control the urge to roll his eyes. The amount of times they’ve faced a group like this made him want to bang his head into a wall until he could see stars.

“You guys are late; we’ve been expecting you for the past hour.” One of the men spoke up, his voice gruff. Harry examined the large room, taking in all of the little details that could be important. Two of the men were still missing, so he assumed that they were the men in the vault that Niall had mentioned. The security cameras had all been shot, which was clever; these people expected to get away without being identified.

From the way they had spread themselves around the four of them, he figured that these men weren’t amateurs. They weren’t professionals, not by a long shot, but they did far better than most petty thieves.

“Is it clear to get the hostages now?” Louis asked in his earpiece, pushing through the crowd. With One Direction’s obvious arrival, the forming crowd outside had become more frenzied. Three times he’s been elbowed, three times.

“Wait for my signal.” Liam muttered, keeping his voice low. He had hoped that using his powers wouldn’t be necessary, but things never seemed to go his way. Holding his palms out, he shot four balls of flame that flew through the air. The feeling of the heat racing through his arms, feeling like the fire itself was in his veins, gave him that addictive and satisfying ecstasy. He smirked when he hit his intended target; the door of the vault room.

Immediately the two other men ran out, their guns firing at the three boys. Liam and Harry were quick to duck out of aim, both hiding behind the same desk Niall had hid behind earlier. Speaking of the Irish boy…

“Niall, I need you and Harry to distract those men until I can get a good shot at them. Louis, it’s your time to shine.” Liam looked over the side of the desk when he heard the door of the bank slam open, the door hinges breaking as Louis bolted into the room and out. He could just see the outline of Louis as he raced in and out with a hostage. It was going too slow, however, and Louis was probably having a hard time carrying all of those people outside. When it came to speed, Louis excelled, but strength was ironically one of his weaknesses. Liam didn’t know how long it would take for all of the hostages to be rescued.

The next five minutes were spent fighting; Harry didn’t use his power in fear that it would only cause more problems. Instead, he used his hand to hand combat skills, dodging all of the bullets with expertise and taking advantage of his hard punches. Niall was popping in and out of visibility; however, it only frustrated the thieves more. Liam was juggling between fighting and keeping an eye out for Louis. He frowned when he saw the eldest boy was slowing down, and it wouldn’t take long for the thieves to notice the amount of hostages disappearing.

The fighting continued for another five minutes, and by the end of it, all four boys were exhausted. Their suits were torn and their bodies were covered with scratches and bruises. Louis was the only one still intact but he was almost drained; the fastest he could run was a sprint. However, it seemed that almost all of the hostages had been removed.

“Fuck.” Liam heard Louis curse in his ear piece and he was quick to ask what had happened.

“Just twisted my ankle, my fucking luck.” Louis snapped from where he was outside, narrowing his eyes at the amount of people who were watching him. He flipped off the few who aimed their phones at him, limping away from the crowd, favoring his left foot.

“There’s still one hostage in there, one of you guys needs to get him out of there.”

Niall, who was finally able to take down one of the men, sprinted towards the vault room; the sounds of his feet hitting the tile were the only indication that he was even there. However, the vault room was empty when he reached it.

“Lou, there’s nobody here.”

“What? No, that’s impossible. I remember seeing a boy before I took the girl before him; he was in the back corner.”

“Well I’m telling you that he’s not here.” Niall pathetically double checked the room, only confirming the obvious fact. He was the only one in the room.

“Guys, I think I found our missing hostage.” Harry muttered into his ear piece, standing near the far right corner of the bank. He was frozen to the spot as the seventh thief (he would punch Niall later for counting six and not seven) held the most beautiful boy in a tight grip.

He was small in size and his lean body made him look frail; as if the slightest tap would break him. Almost like fine china. Large, black glasses framed his face, mesmerizing amber eyes, with long eyelashes that left shadows on his sharp cheekbones, stared back at him with fear. The beanie on his head was beginning to slip off, revealing dark brown locks, almost black, that drooped down and almost covered his eyes.

Harry would have taken more time to appreciate this beautiful creature if there weren’t a gun pressed to his head.

“Move and a bullet goes through his head.” The hulk of a man grunted, teasingly grinding the tip of the gun on the boy’s temple. The whimper that left his lips sent shivers down Harry’s spine- and okay now is not the time for that.

“There is several armed police men outside this building with their guns trained on you and your team. We’ve not only kicked your team’s ass, but we’ve done it in record time. You’re already under arrest for attempted robbery; don’t add murder onto your sentence.”

And if his voice was deeper than normal and his chest puffed out more than usual then it was to intimidate the man. Not to impress the boy standing in front of him.

Harry could see the hesitation in the man’s actions; the way the gun was pulled back slightly, the way his eyes looked around the room anxiously. It wouldn’t be long until he surrendered, and then the beautiful boy he held captive would be freed and then fall in love with Harry (everything went Harry’s way, everything).

He didn’t expect the fire ball that flew a little too close to himself for his liking. He could feel the flame’s heat brush against him quickly before it slammed into the man’s hand; the one that was holding the gun.

Crying out, he released his hold on the fit boy, who was quick to run out of harm’s way. However, he felt himself crashing into something, almost falling back from the impact. Strong arms wrapped themselves around the boy’s waist tightly, securing him against what felt like a chest. Then, with a sheepish grin, Niall came into visibility, his heart bursting with adoration at the awed look on the boy’s face.

“Hey, you stole my damsel.” Harry whined, turning away from the thief who was clutching his hand in pain. It was usually his job to make sure all possible threats were knocked out before the police came in but he couldn’t possibly think about that now. Not when Niall was holding the boy he’s already planned on asking out. He already had the restaurant picked out and everything.

“You’re not hurt, are you? A pretty thing like you isn’t meant to be in a place like this.” The boy in Niall’s arms flushed a deep red, looking down at his feet shyly. With his eyes trained on the floor he spoke quietly, his voice barely reaching Harry, who stood only five feet away.

“Can you let me go?” Niall blushed but did so, watching as the smaller boy stepped back and fixed the beanie on his head. His eyes focused on something behind Niall and the boy turned to see Liam. The older boy was making his way to the three of them, smoke still rising from his hands. And though he tried to look professional and strong, Niall could easily through his façade. He could see the way he looked the boy up and down, how he stood taller with more pride. The heart eyes Harry was sending the smallest boy showed that he wasn’t the only one interested.

“We need to let the police know that the danger is gone. Niall, why don’t you go outside and tell them?”

Niall narrowed his eyes but didn’t put up a fight. He spared one last glance at the beautiful boy before sprinting off towards the front of the bank. Liam finally turned his full attention to the reserved boy, smiling to bring him more at ease.

“What’s your name?” 

“Zayn, Zayn Malik.” Harry smiled at the name. It seemed to fit him perfectly and he resisted the urge to repeat it. The see what it felt like to have that name roll off his tongue. A beautiful name to match a beautiful boy.

“Thanks for saving me.” Zayn added as a last minute thought, smiling timidly at both boys that seemed to tower over him. His eyes trailed down Liam’s chest, where it was covered by his skin tight suit, and pitch black like the others. When he looked up he saw that he had been caught and quickly looked away with embarrassment.

“No need to thank us, just doing our job.” Liam smiled warmly before he held up a finger, frowning at someone’s words on the ear piece. He shot Harry a worried look before thanking whoever was on the other line.

“An apartment complex on third street is on fire; the police are too busy trying to manage the crowd and bring the thieves to jail.” Harry nodded his head, brushing away the stray curls from his forehead. A small part of him wanted to stay here; well, stay here with Zayn that is. It wasn’t like the three of them couldn’t handle a fire, even with Louis’ sprained ankle. He realized how selfish he was sounding, however, and mentally slapped himself.

“We should go now, then. It was nice to meet you, Zayn. I have a feeling we’ll be seeing each other again real soon.”

And with those last words the two heroes sprinted out of the building, off to save lives like they were born to do. Zayn stared after them, his face still a deep red from Harry’s words. He took a deep breath to clear his mind, which was difficult to do considering he had a gun on his head only minutes ago. Taking one more breath to calm him down, he made his way out of the bank, replaying his moment with the heroes in his head over and over again.

xxx

Two weeks later

“Shadow? He’s calling himself Shadow, like the fucking hedgehog.” Louis laughed as he sprinted through the heavy traffic of London, swerving around cars with practiced perfection. He could hear Harry’s laugh through his ear piece as the younger boy flew high above him, higher than the buildings that bordered the busy streets.. Harry, who was manipulating the clouds to be dense enough to hold his weight, was taking advantage of his bird eye view of the city.

“Authorities say he’s from Australia; I guess he got tired of it and moved here,” Liam informed his mates, flaming through the sky and on the search for the new villain that had moved into their town,” he’s able to manipulate shadows and use them to go wherever he pleases, as long as it’s within a certain radius. Don’t know how he managed to get all the way to the UK, though. The guy’s been appearing in homes, stores, you name it; completely wrecking everything for no reason.”

“And the rumors of him with a hostage? I can never get a clear look at him but it looks like he’s got someone with him.” Niall questioned from their large, incredibly clichéd, van that was parked in the parking lot of a small grocery store. On the walls of the van were screens that showed footage of all of the security cameras in London, which definitely came in handy for situations like this. Besides, he was the only one in the group who could understand technology more advanced than a cell phone.

“Police confirmed two minutes ago that he’s got a hostage, don’t exactly know why. Isn’t like he needs one but he’s got a guy with him, no name has been confirmed.” Niall nodded his head at Liam’s words, eyes widening when he spotted Shadow, the latest villain to cause mayhem in London. He had to be around their age, built like Liam with the speed and addiction to chaos of Louis. Dirty blonde hair that reached his shoulders, sun kissed skin, a fit body that could only belong to someone who was always on the move. He was hot, that much could be said. He had someone thrown over his shoulders as he walked down one of the dark alleys of the city.

“Spotted him at Thorpe Park; Louis, you’re the closest to him, take a right at the second street. Liam, you’re a few miles off, go south from where you are. Harry, you literally can’t be any more off than you are right now,” Niall ordered his friends, smiling at Harry’s annoyed whine,” Louis, he’s in the alley of the building right across from the park. He isn’t moving, the bastard thinks he’s lost us. We need to get him out in daylight, it’s the only way we’ll be able to catch him.”

It didn’t take long for Louis to reach the alley and he slowed to a stop near the opening. He leaned over, using the wall as cover, smirking when he saw two figures in the darkness. One had to be Shadow, towering over the other, confidence shown in the way he tilted his chin up high. The darkness of the alley seemed to cling to his figure eerily. The other was crowded against the wall, curled in on themselves; it was clear that the two hadn’t noticed his presence yet.

“Looks like Shadow’s quite interested in his pet. I think I know the perfect way to get him out.” Before Liam could ask what he meant (which would then lead him to scold Louis for his horrible plans) he bolted down the alley. It was almost too easy, picking up the boy bridal style and sprinting back onto the sidewalk before anyone could even blink.

He noticed the way the person in his arms squirmed, clearly not expecting the sudden rescue. Before he could steal a quick glance at whoever had peaked Shadow’s interest, the man himself had raced after him, exactly how Louis had planned.

“It’s not nice to steal my hostage.” Shadow teased with a malicious smirk that had the boy in his arms shaking. Subconsciously tightening his grip on him, Louis took a step back, internally smiling when Shadow took one forward.

“It’s not nice to steal someone.” Louis retorted, now fully walking backwards with Shadow stupidly following him, further away from the darkness of the alley. “That’s it Lou, keep him away from any shadows. Liam, take a left at that building up ahead and you should be there.”

There was a crowd already forming now, though they kept their distance. Louis ignored them, however, keeping his eyes locked with Shadow’s hazel ones as he continued to walk backwards. Whoever was in his arms had their head buried in the spot between his neck and shoulder, shushing him when he heard the smaller boy whimpering.

“And what kind of super villain are you? You travel through shadows, how lame can you get?” The taunts, though pitiful at best, came out almost naturally. His mouth never closed, finding new things to curse at the villain before he had even finished his next sentence; it was almost too easy.

It was when they were about 10 meters from the alley did Louis finally stop, standing his ground with his head held high. Shadow stopped too, sporting a wicked smirk as he saw how exposed Louis was letting himself be. The hero only narrowed his eyes, holding the boy closer to his chest protectively.

“Just hand him over, kid. I’ve got the advantage here; better save yourself the embarrassment.” The petite boy in his arms shook at the villain’s words and Louis felt his heart drop when he realized that the boy believed that Louis would actually give him to Shadow.

“I don’t think you understand the whole hero concept; I’d rather die in a fight then hand over an innocent person.” And the ferocity in his voice seemed to soothe the boy, as he finally raised his head, his focus trained on Shadow. Louis glanced over Shadow’s shoulder and smirked. “Liam, whenever you’re ready.”

The battle was short, if you could even call it that. Liam’s sudden appearance gave them the upper hand and Shadow was knocked out within the minute. He fell face first onto the concrete road, earning a wince from Harry, who was just dropping down on his cloud. He jogged to the fallen body, shoving his foot underneath his ribs and flipping him over. His nose was bleeding from the impact and there were several holes in his clothes, the edges of them still smoking and the tips of his hair were burnt.

“Niall, let the police know he’s knocked out but they need to hurry up. If they can’t get him to their power room before he’s awake then he could escape.” Harry informed his friend, referring to the small room that has become necessary in almost every prison globally. The walls were made from a metal that was able to nullify most powers, including theirs.

“Zayn.” Harry looked up when he heard the name; a name he hasn’t heard since the robbery two weeks ago. A name that’s been on his mind with a mesmerizing face to match. It was Liam who had spoken, and Harry followed his gaze to see that the hostage in Louis’ arms was…Zayn.

The smaller boy looked the same he had on the day of the robbery; slightly in awe but mostly scared. His hair was down and looked as soft as feathers, the tips just reaching his eyes; the eyes that haunted him in his sleep. The hoodie he wore seemed to swallow his smaller figure and the jeans were tight (almost as tight as Harry’s are sometimes). His eyes were open wide, glancing between the three of them and the defeated villain. Harry walked forward, a smile already forming on his face.

“When I said we would see each other again I didn’t mean like this.” His joking tone seemed to soothe Zayn, who relaxed in Louis’ arms. Harry narrowed his eyes, focusing on Louis’ hands that held tightly to the small boy; much tighter than needed. Part of him wanted to pull Zayn away from him, to hold him close to his chest, right where he belonged. He could see the smug grin on Louis’ face as he looked down at the boy in his arms; he was forced to look away, fearing that his temper would get the best of him. It wouldn’t be the first time he’s unintentionally hurt someone because of how his powers and emotions easily triggered the other. And it wouldn’t be the first time because of his jealous (and slightly possessive) tendencies.

Louis jumped when he felt a hand on his shoulder, relaxing when he saw it was only Liam. The younger boy grimaced, gesturing to Zayn. “Think you can let him down now, yeah?” Louis grinned at the barely hidden jealousy in his voice, shaking his head with amusement. The smaller boy in his arms was absolutely breath taking, with his fragile and lean body. The delicate features being contrasted by his sharp jaw line and cheekbones were captivating.

“No, think I’ll keep holding him for a while. He’s still in danger with Shadow out of a power room.” Zayn raised his eyebrows at that, anxiously looking at the unconscious villain. He attempted to move out of Louis’ arms so he could be further from Shadow only to have Louis’ grip become more forceful, instantly stopping his efforts.

“How long until he’s in a power room then?” Zayn asked quietly, his eyes reaching Liam’s. The hero smiled with adoration and Zayn felt his face go red with the smile on Liam’s face, as if he had done something incredible to deserve such a thing. Liam held up a hand, turning to speak to Niall quickly before turning around again.

“Well, the police have been informed and they’re on their way,” Liam paused for a moment and then rolled his eyes,” Niall also wants you to know that he says hello and that you look lovely today.” Zayn’s eyebrows furrowed, looking around, probably for Niall.

“How does he-“

“We’ve got access to all security cameras; he’s watching us right now. Louis wasn’t wrong, though; you still are technically in danger until Shadow’s been moved to a power room.”

“Why did Shadow take you, anyways? He could’ve actually escaped us had he not had you.” Zayn squirmed in Louis’ hold again and the oldest boy finally let him down with a smile. The Bradford boy glanced back at Shadow before taking a few steps away, bumping into Liam’s chest accidentally in the process.

“I was just in my apartment and he came out of nowhere. H-He said he could use some company on the run and, uh…took me?” His voice trailed off at the end when he saw that all three were focusing intently on his words. He looked down at his shoes, failing to hide the redness of his face.

“Well, he won’t be behind bars for half an hour at most, but it doesn’t look like he’ll be up anytime soon. Never seen you so aggressive, Li.” Harry teased the older boy, kicking lightly at Shadow’s body. Liam shrugged, but he knew it was true. When he saw that the hostage was Zayn, just when he was flying in for a sneak attack, something inside of him snapped. It’s been a while since he’s lost control so easily, and that thought scared him.

“However, if you don’t feel one hundred percent safe, I’m sure I can find a way for us to pass the time, yeah? Why don’t you and I go grab some lunch while these two figure out all the technicalities with the police? You do trust me, don’t you?”

Zayn hesitated at first, picking at his hoodie strings before finally nodding, a small smile just beginning to show. Liam stepped forward, placing a hand on Harry’s shoulder, though the gesture was anything but friendly. A warning, Harry thought to himself, brushing off the hand with an innocent smile.

“You two won’t mind, right? I’m always shit with talking to police; I’ll be more of a burden anyways.” Louis rolled his eyes, flipping the younger boy off with Zayn’s back to him. Harry only smiled in return before pointing over behind him.

“There’s a lovely café over there; you take the first right and you can’t miss it. Why don’t you head over there now; I need a quick chat with my mates and then I’ll catch up.” Zayn nodded his head, not missing the way Harry’s hand brushed his as he passed. Harry watched his moving figure until he was far enough, and then turned to the others with a smug grin.

“Well, it’s pretty clear that we all want him, let’s get that settled first.” Louis nodded his head without shame; his eyes had been on Zayn’s arse the whole walk to the café. Niall grunted his confirmation in their ear pieces while Liam had the audacity to pretend he didn’t.

“I don’t know what you’re-“

“Oh fuck off; I saw the way you were staring at him. Saw the way all of you were, actually, and I don’t blame you, he’s beautiful.” Harry glanced back in the direction Zayn had walked in before turning back to the others, a sudden determination on his face.

“That boy is mine, got it?” Louis scoffed loudly, playfully shoving at Harry’s shoulder. The younger boy narrowed his eyes and pushed him back, a fierce look in his eyes.

“I’m serious Lou-“

“Harold, your charm is only temporarily; it won’t be long until he realizes that. Besides, he needs a man, not a child.”

“Louis, you were shooting Niall with a water gun yesterday, how could you even consider yourself a man?” Harry retorted, smiling when he could hear Niall laughing. Liam, who had stood quietly for most of the argument, finally stepped in with a stern tone.

“Zayn is a human being, not just some toy for you two to fight over. You have no right to just claim him, have some respect.”

“Don’t act like you’re the good one out of the lot, Payno. We all know you’d jump at the chance to shove your-“

“Niall James Horan, if you finish that sentence you’re on patrol duty for a month.” Liam snapped, his face bright red with flames just beginning to ignite on his fists at his sides. Louis glanced over at Liam and only rolled his eyes at his theatrics.

“And yet you aren’t denying it. Harold, you’ve won this round, go on your pathetic little thing you’d call a date. Just know this means war, mate, and I never lose.”

xxx

It’s funny, Zayn thinks to himself, how quickly your life can change.

He was a mediocre person, at best, who was just trying to get through school with little problems. He was an honor student, he never disobeyed his parents, and he always did what he was told. 

He was a good kid, albeit a little too shy and awkward, but he was good. He knew that.

Everything just changed the day of the bank robbery; the day he was held at gun point with a man threatening to stick a bullet through his head. The day he met One Direction, the boys he couldn’t get out of his head. Niall’s hands on his waist, holding him close to his chest, the way Liam and Harry’s eyes followed his every move, the way Louis held him in his arms. 

“You’re not hurt, are you? A pretty thing like you isn’t meant to be in a place like this.”

“We should go now, then. It was nice to meet you, Zayn. I have a feeling we’ll be seeing each other again real soon.”

Those words had been in his head for days; he had spent hours thinking about the heroes, dedicating his time to wondering about them. He thought about them at school, during work, some nights when he couldn’t get any sleep. They plagued his mind, the way they carried themselves so confidently, definitely different from his introverted way of living. But sadly he was just the damsel in distress; just another person saved. The only time he would ever see them after that was on the news and magazines; he would hear them in people’s conversations, ‘Did you see how One Direction kicked ass yesterday?’ and ‘Louis and Niall saved the elementary school a few days ago, they’re so amazing’.

Until Shadow, of course, and suddenly everything around him was changing.

His lunch with Harry had been amazing; Zayn told him how he wanted to become an English Professor and Harry told him how he planned on being a baker before his powers had manifested (Zayn thought it would be rude to ask how they manifested, though the curiosity was killing him). It was almost impossible to not like Harry; he spoke slowly and carefully and he told horrible jokes but he was also someone Zayn could talk to about personal things. Harry admitted that he felt insecure from time to time being the youngest on the team and still learning to control his powers. Zayn told him how he used to be bullied for liking books more than sports. Harry was someone he could trust.

Three days later he was kidnapped from his work place.

With new villains and criminals scattering all over Europe lately, he wasn’t too surprised when he had heard the gun shots from outside the small bookstore. With the owner, a sweet man who shared the same passion as Zayn with books, gone, Zayn jumped over the counter and ran out to the front, where a large window displayed outside.

A group of villains stood in the middle of the street; Zayn counted four, each with a gun in their hand. One of them was hovering just above the ground, meaning that possibly all four of them had powers. The leader, who stood the tallest of them all, seemed to be looking for something, or someone. His team was too busy with firing their bullets at anyone in sight, laughing viciously and shoving at one another.

Zayn ducked when he made eye contact with the leader, cursing under his breath as he hid. There was no way he hadn’t been seen, and from the smirk on the man’s face, he knew he didn’t have much time to move. It was the same smirk Shadow had before he had taken him.

Zayn stood up, sprinting towards the back exit; if he could get out the back door then he had a chance. He could make a few short cuts through the alleys and he’d be back in his apartment in a matter of seconds.

However, luck never seemed to be on his side.

The door to the store was kicked in, the sounds of the hinges breaking echoing. Zayn, too scared to turn, continued his race to the door, his heart beating fast and his breaths coming in pants. He yelled when he felt arms go around his waist, easily pulling him into a chest. He struggled to get out of the person’s grip but it was useless; the person was too strong and his arms were pinned to his sides. 

Zayn felt a hand under his chin and he was forced to look up. The leader of the group, who had to be in his twenties, sneered down at him. On both of his sides stood two of his teammates, women who looked down at him with distaste. The scar under the leader’s left eye was the most distinctive feature on his face, along with the dark green eyes and long black locks.

“We’ve been lookin’ for you for quite some time, princess. You’re the one that’s been with those heroes; knew you’d be working here.” Zayn didn’t say anything, choosing to close his eyes and focus on his breathing. He began to panic when a blindfold was pressed over his eyes and his hands being tied tightly behind his back by a thick rope.

“How do you feel for being our little hostage, sweetheart?” 

Someone threw him over their shoulder and he whimpered when he felt the person carrying him go airborne. 

xxx

“I can’t believe those twats, the fucking nerve of-“

“Niall shut it for five seconds.” Liam ordered with a cold voice from the roof top he was standing on. The wind was biting at his skin but all he could feel was the fire inside of him, fighting to get out. He could see Niall and Harry, just a few buildings over; arguing with each other, like now was the best time. Louis was somewhere down below them, most likely in one of the alleys.

“Liam, they have Zayn. They know he’s someone important to us and its Harry’s fault! You just had to go have lunch with him where everyone can see you.” Niall snapped, shoving Harry’s shoulder roughly. The taller boy narrowed his eyes and shoved him back, satisfied when Niall tripped over his own feet and hit the floor roughly.

“You’re just bitter that I scored a date with him. Jealousy isn’t a pretty color on you, Horan.” Liam rolled his eyes, firing a warning shot towards them. It landed just between the two of them, and both turned to Liam with aggravated glares.

“I don’t know if you boys realize this, but we’re on a mission. If you want to act like a bunch of brats then go ahead, make my fucking day. But know if you two don’t get it together then Zayn’s going to be in a lot more danger than he is now.”

He heard Louis’ impressed whistle from his ear piece and sighed in frustration, rubbing at his eyes. They had been patrolling the city as always when Niall had received a video message from a group that referred to themselves as Enigma. Two boys and two girls, each with their own wicked scowls and smirks to match; Harry mentioned that they could all be siblings from the similarities. The group looked to be standing on a rooftop, they had no clue where, glaring at the camera as if they could see them through the screen.

At first the video was bland; threatening complete takeover and world domination, the same old shit. Groups like these have come and gone on the daily basis; promising complete destruction and only proving to be mediocre at best. Then one of the girls, the one with the lip piercing, said they had someone they would want to see.

One of the guys walked off camera and came back with someone, a painful grip on a boy’s bicep.

Zayn.

The rest of the video could be summarized: meet with us or pretty boy gets it. The fight, they had said in the video, would be at 3:00; only a minute from now. They were informed to be within a certain area and to have no police interference. Zayn, they swore on their lives, will be safe, as long as they followed their rules. Of course, none of them found any comfort in their promises.

“So nice to finally meet you boys, we’ve heard so much about you.” Liam flinched at the voice behind him, quickly turning into a defensive position. Standing in front of him was the leader of Enigma, his piercing green eyes narrowed towards him. Liam heard the gasps of his teammates and turned to see two other members of the villainous group, a boy and a girl, on the rooftop with Niall and Harry. He could only assume that the other girl was with Louis down on the streets.

“Alright, we’ve agreed with your conditions. Where is he?” Liam stood taller with pride; the man was taller than him, and older, but Liam was far bigger in size. The man only chuckled, enraging Liam further and fueling the fire inside of him that was desperate to be free.

“Now, now, don’t be so impatient. We just needed him to get your attention.” 

“Well you’ve definitely got it now.” Louis spoke from his ear piece as he stared down the girl in front of him. Whenever he moved, she did too, and it was frustrating beyond belief. 

“My team and I have come all the way from America; supplies have been scarce over the past few months. London’s home to some of the most wealthiest businesses-“

“You want us to let you get away with robbery.” Liam interrupted, and the man only shrugged in return. “You of all people should understand the desperation. My team and I need food and a roof over our heads; if you were in our place you would do the same for your family.”

“Then you’re wasting your time; there’s no way in hell we’re going to let you do this.” Niall barked, his eyes never leaving the man who was standing in front of him. Harry was doing the same with the girl; it was a standoff to see who would back down first.

“Perhaps you’ve forgotten that we’ve got your little friend at the moment. He doesn’t seem to be a too big of a fan of us, though. Screamed so loud we had to gag him.”

Liam fists were ignited before his sentence was even finished, but it only seemed to amuse the man in front of him. He wanted nothing more than to punch that grin off of his face, to leave permanent burn marks that would remind him not to mess with what was his…he was shocked at his sudden possessiveness.

“Keep those flames of yours to yourself, kid. One wrong move and your little pet won’t make it to tomorrow.” Harry, who had been quiet throughout the entire meeting, finally spoke up.

“You idiots do realize that you won’t get away with this, right?” The girl in front of him scoffed, her hands placed on her hips in an arrogant manner. Her cold eyes studied him with disinterest.

“What makes you say that, brat?”

“Because while you’ve been so busy with explaining your plan, which is awful, just saying, we’ve had our own little recon team searching the area. We’ve already narrowed down all of the possible areas where Zayn could be. Face it, you guys aren’t going to win.”

The silence that followed, though only a few seconds, filled the atmosphere with tension. Everyone stood in defensive stances, waiting for the first person to make their move. It was Liam who made the first attack, tackling the leader, satisfied with the sound of his head smacking against the rooftop.

It was like a domino effect with how quickly everyone moved into action. Louis bolted away from the girl who shot electrical bolts after him; he took shelter behind cars parked on the sides of the road. He may have the advantage of speed but she was far from being an amateur; her shots all landed too close for his liking. Several times he felt the sickening burn of electricity just missing him by an inch and he forced himself to move faster.

The battles on the rooftops were just as evenly matched. Harry had shot up in the sky, manipulating the clouds to act as a sort of hover board for him. The girl, who appeared to be telekinetic, was firing any objects she could find at him, including bricks that she mentally ripped off of the roofs effortlessly. It was difficult for him to concentrate on his powers while dodging her attacks. 

Niall had made himself invisible the second Liam had tackled the leader, easily frustrating the man who was fighting against him. His powers of flight were useless since he couldn’t figure out Niall’s location. However, Niall’s attacks had to be swift, giving him enough time to get out of the man’s reach before he could grab at him.

Liam’s fight with the leader was going horrible. The man’s teleportation, which he had not been expecting, was working to his advantage; Liam grew more frustrated as his flames were dodged with perfected ease. Whenever he managed a hit the leader would vanish, only to appear behind him and give a strong kick to his back. The Wolverhampton boy growled and shot a ball of flame towards the villain, grinning when the man was unable to dodge in time as it slammed into his ribs. He quickly frowned, however, when the leader teleported away from him.

He looked around in a quick circle, disgruntled when he saw no sign of him. Just when he was about to scream out for the man to stop being a coward he heard the sound of someone falling behind him. He turned quickly to see the man on the floor, unconscious with a sharp cut on his temple. Niall appeared by his side suddenly, a victorious smile on his face.

“The bastard was about to sneak up on ya, couldn’t let that happen, could I?” 

Liam smiled back before checking on the others’ progress. Harry seemed to be struggling against the girl; from the way he held his right arm to his chest protectively, Liam could only guess that she had a good shot. He could see Louis on the streets, speeding behind objects to shield himself from the girl’s blasts. However, it looked like she was slowing down and it was only a matter of time before exhaustion took over for her.

“Niall, where’s the guy you were fighting?” Niall furrowed his eyebrows and turned back to where he and the man had been fighting on the other rooftop. He was nowhere to be found now…

“Don’t know; I left him to save your arse.” Liam sighed heavily while Niall only smiled guiltly, a rosy tint starting to form on his face. When Liam didn’t seem to be effected by his smile, which always worked on Harry, Niall rolled his eyes.

“The guy probably left when he figured his team was losing. I would’ve done the same.” At Liam’s unimpressed glare he quickly apologized, the blush only getting darker on his face. “Well, you need to find him before he gets too far. He could be-“

“Looking for someone?” Niall and Liam both looked up when they heard a loud, booming voice from high above them. There, flying far above their heads, was their missing guy, and in his grips he held-

“Zayn!” Niall called out in surprise, his eyes narrowing when he saw Zayn was tied up, and as promised, gagged. He was thrown carelessly over the person’s shoulder, infuriating Niall further. The man sneered down at them, flying up higher into the air, stopping when he was even higher than Harry’s comfort zone.

“Fetch!” He screamed out to them before loosening his grip on Zayn. Liam felt his heart stop as the smaller boy fell; even with the gag he could hear Zayn’s terrified screams for help. 

“I’ve got him!” Harry screamed when he saw the boy falling, his own heart thumping rapidly in his chest. Without hesitation, he left the girl he had been in battle with, forcing the clouds to speed up to catch to Zayn.

“Back off Styles, I’m catching him!” He heard Louis through his ear piece. He looked down at the streets to see Louis had abandoned his fight too. The oldest boy was racing through the streets to where he thought Zayn would land.

“Fuck off, it’s my turn to save him!” Niall whined childishly, though he knew his invisibility would do no help. It didn’t seem to matter, however, since Harry and Louis’ voices were too loud to hear over. Harry, whose frustration and jealousy was becoming overwhelming, finally snapped, shooting a small electrical bolt towards Louis. His aim was too perfect, hitting the boy right in the chest and causing him to fly backwards into one of the parked cars on the sides of the street. Harry only smiled in victory as he sped up towards Zayn’s falling figure, sticking his arms out to catch him.

He cried in pain, however, when his right arm instantly collapsed under the pressure. In his desperate attempt to catch Zayn he had forgotten about his arm being injured in his fight with the girl. In the surprise of the pain, Harry dropped Zayn, who only cried in fear when he felt himself falling through the air again.

Harry made a move to chase after Zayn again but stopped when he saw Liam, whose legs were covered with flames to shoot him through the sky. Their leader easily caught Zayn, holding him protectively to his chest and away from the fire that lit most of his lower half. Liam looked up to him and the disappointment in his features was almost as worse as being scolded at. He nodded towards one of the several rooftops and Harry followed without arguing.

Liam landed carefully on the roof with Zayn in his arms, holding the boy as if he were as fragile as glass. He ripped the gag and blindfold off and burned the ropes off of Zayn cautiously, afraid to burn him. He let the boy down but before he could ask if he was alright, Zayn wrapped his arms around his neck. He was shaking violently and soft whimpers escaping his lips as he tightened his grip on Liam.

“It’s okay, babe, I’ve got you. Don’t cry, please don’t cry, love.” Liam whispered, his arms going tightly around the boy’s waist. There was a warm feeling growing in his chest, and for once it wasn’t his fire. He buried his face in Zayn’s windblown hair, sighing with relief now that Zayn was safe (in his arms). He looked up when he heard footsteps and looked up to see Niall and Harry, both with guilty expressions.

“Niall, go check on Louis; Harry, drop the leader off to the police. It looks like the rest of his team escaped. We’re going to be having a long talk when I get back home.” Niall furrowed his eyebrows at Liam’s orders.

“When you get back? Where are you going?”

“I’m going to take Zayn home, if that’s okay with you?” He quietly asked the boy who refused to loosen his grip on Liam. He felt Zayn nod with his face still buried in Liam’s neck and he smiled adoringly at the boy. Harry took a small step forward, a hand hesitantly reaching out to Zayn; the urge to comfort the small boy was becoming too much. Liam stiffened and shook his head at the younger boy; he finally relaxed once Harry and Niall had left to follow his orders.

“We can walk or I can fly. Whatever you want.” Liam spoke softly, noticing the way Zayn became tense when he mentioned flying. He rubbed soothing circles into the boy’s back as he continued.

“I promise on my life that I won’t let you fall, Zayn.” Liam heard Zayn mumbling something into his neck and gently used a hand to push Zayn’s head back. He looked into Zayn’s hazel eyes that were bloodshot from crying; the fear in his eyes elicited a strong need to protect in Liam.

“What did you say?”

“I-I couldn’t do anything, I-I-“Zayn’s voice cracked as he desperately clung to Liam, and the hero quietly shushed him, whispering comforting words until he was calmer. 

“I won’t let anything happen to you, Zayn. Please, don’t be scared anymore, you’re safe with me. Please don’t cry, love, everything’s okay.” It took a few more minutes of standing there, just holding onto one another, before Zayn finally nodded. Liam smiled and easily lifted the boy bridal style; his heart practically soared when he heard Zayn’s quiet giggle at his practical eagerness to carry him.

“Just hold onto me, alright? You can close your eyes, if you want. Just tell me where to go.” Liam suggested kindly before slowly rising in the air, just to make sure Zayn was comfortable. With Zayn’s silence he assumed that the boy was okay and began to fly to Zayn’s home, following his directions.

It was a small apartment complex that was only five minutes away from the rooftop. Each floor came with a small balcony that overlooked the busy streets of London; Zayn pointed to the second one from the top with a smile.

“That’s mine.” Liam nodded and easily landed on the balcony, wincing when he noticed his flames had left burn marks on the floor. He let Zayn down gingerly, gesturing to the burn marks with a guilty smile. Zayn shrugged his shoulders before he could apologize, however, walking ahead to the glass door that opened to his home.

“Thanks, y-you know. For saving me.” Zayn smiled awkwardly, rubbing at his eyes that were still red from crying. He glanced up at Liam who stood on his balcony, watching him with an endearing smile. He blushed, running a hand through his ruffled hair.

“You can come inside, if you want. I can make tea?” Liam nodded fervently and Zayn grinned. He pushed open the glass door and Liam followed without a second thought. He also put his arm around Zayn’s waist without a second thought (part of him thinks he felt Zayn lean into his touch be he couldn’t be certain).

xxx

Four hours later, Liam was finally home. He opened the door quietly, smiling when he saw no one in the living room. Just when he was about to make a quick escape to his bedroom he heard Niall’s voice from his right.

“Just wanted to take him home, yeah?” The blonde boy teased, appearing on the sofa placed against the wall. Harry walked into the room from the kitchen, narrowing his eyes at Liam with suspicion. His right arm was wrapped up and he held it close to his chest.

“You haven’t taken his innocence, have you?” Liam blushed a dark red, too flustered to even scold the boy. Louis joined them from behind Harry, slapping the taller boy on the back of his head. Niall only laughed from his seat, clearly enjoying Liam’s embarrassment.

“No, I haven’t. He asked me to stay for tea; just ended up watching a movie.” Liam finally answered and Harry only rolled his eyes.

“I’m sure that’s just code you young people use today. Probably been fucking him for the past four hours.” Liam rubbed at his temples; a habit he had formed after the team had been created. Though it was usually something reserved for the youngest boy.

“Harry, you’re younger than me.” Harry only shrugged his shoulders, an unimpressed look on his face. “Doesn’t matter. You left us to deal with the police while you stole Zayn from us.”

“I left you all to deal with the police because of your irresponsibility. Don’t think I don’t remember saying we were going to have a talk about this.” Louis punched Harry’s right arm, satisfied when the younger boy whined in pain.

“Nice of you to remind him. Look, Liam, we’ve already talked about this while you were gone. We’ve all come to an epiphany and-“

“You’ve come to an epiphany?” Liam interrupted with a raised eyebrow. Louis nodded his head, crossing his arms with confidence.

“Yes, don’t interrupt me Liam, that’s rude. We’ve all decided that this fight for Zayn’s affections is childish and a danger to our missions. It’s only been causing the four of us problems.”

Liam blinked in surprise; he hadn’t actually been expecting Louis to say something mature and sensible. 

“We’ve agreed that this must come to an end. So we’re going to draw straws, you see, and-“

“No, no, absolutely not.” Liam stopped him again, already feeling a headache forming after such a peaceful time of cuddling with Zayn as Avengers played on his small TV. “Louis that is possibly the worst thing that you’ve said to me, ever.”

“I take offense to that, Payne; if you honestly believe I’m being serious then you clearly don’t know me. I consider you a brother, prick.” Liam shook his head, about to leave when Niall stopped him.

“We figured that if Zayn were to end up with one of us, it should be you.” 

“What?”

“I mean, it’s obvious that Harry and Louis aren’t exactly perfect boyfriends; the two can barely function as it is,” Niall paused at their disagreements on that,” and I’m not really the kind of person to get tied down. You’re the only one out of this group of misfits that would be good for him, I guess? Only one of us who haven’t broken a heart yet.”

“Doesn’t mean we want to see you two shagging in this house, though. My room is off limits, you animal.” Harry added and Louis nodded in agreement. Liam looked at the three boys around him, shaking his head in amusement. These three boys were responsible for saving London every day. 

“Who says Zayn would want to be with me anyways? He’s got a say in this too, you know; sorta how relationships work.” Louis rolled his eyes, moving to sit with Niall on the couch. 

“Oh please, you’re Liam fucking Payne; you’re every person’s wet dream. If Zayn doesn’t want to be with you by now that he must be insane.” Harry smirked at Liam’s hesitance, clapping him on the shoulder.

“Trust me, Zayn’s probably home right now, thinking about you. Tomorrow you should go over his again; ask him out on a proper date. He’s a sucker for the cliché romantic stuff; buy him some roses and he’s yours.”

Liam was indecisive for a moment before he nodded with a smile. He placed his hand over Harry’s, curling his fingers around the younger boy’s subconsciously.

“Thanks for the support guys. I’ll ask Zayn out tomorrow.” Liam nodded appreciatively at all of them before making his way out of the room. He was just out into the hall that led to the staircase when he heard Louis call out to him.

“Just let me know if he’s up for a threesome, yeah?” He only chuckled to himself, walking up the stairs with Zayn still on his mind.

xxx

Four months later

“This is Terra Martin, reporting at the scene of the robbery. As you can see behind me, police are beginning to surround the front of the building. Alex Johnson, the local police chief, is attempting to negotiate with the robbers. They have already confirmed a total of 27 people, four of them being children under the age of ten.”

“This is the first bank robbery we’ve had in the past month, a record for the usually crime infested city of London.”

“Yes, Thomas, that’s correct.”

“Has One Direction arrived on the scene yet, Terra?”

“I’m afraid not Thomas. The superhero group hasn’t been seen yet, but we hope that they will come before anybody is hurt.”

The door to Liam’s small bedroom was slammed open, causing him to jump up in shock from where he laid on his bed. Zayn, who had been using his chest, whined in annoyance. Liam ran a hand through his raven locks, appeasing the smaller boy who sighed contently.

“Don’t mean to ruin your little moment but we’ve got a mission, Payno.” Niall smirked at the couple cuddled up under Liam’s sheets. Harry walked in from behind him, casually throwing an arm over Niall’s shoulders.

“I meant to ruin it, just saying.” The curly boy teased, earning a sharp poke in the side by Niall. Liam sighed heavily, sitting up in the bed; Zayn moved so his head was now in Liam’s lap, pushing against Liam’s hand until he continued to play with his hair.

“What’s wrong now?”

“Robbery at the bank on Sherman.” Louis informed him as he made his way into the room, adjusting his suit until he was comfortable. Zayn laughed and Liam looked down at him questionably.

“That’s where I met all of you; funny how everything’s repeating.” Liam smiled adoringly down at him, leaning down to quickly peck the boy on the lips. Zayn put a hand on the back of Liam’s neck, pulling him back in for a deeper kiss; Liam’s tongue was just pushing past his lips-

“Knock it off!” Niall threw the first thing he could find, one of Zayn’s books, hitting Liam on the head. 

“We’ve got a city to save, so suit up and stop sucking faces! This is unbelievable; this is why I said I should be promoted to leader of this group.” Niall muttered as he walked out; Louis in tow and reassuring him that he’d vote for him at the next group meeting. Harry grabbed Liam’s suit from his top drawer and tossed it to the boy with an amused grin.

“We leave in five, alright. You’re okay with just chilling here, Zaynie?” The Bradford boy smiled at the nickname that Harry always insisted on using, and sat up on the bed.

“Wouldn’t be the first time, would it? I’ll be fine, you guys go and save the day.” Zayn smiled, pushing Liam until he finally got off of the bed. The hero, who was only wearing boxers, began to quickly change into his suit; Harry covered his eyes and walked out of the room.

“Don’t want to see your junk, mate; just hurry it up.” The younger boy whined, kicking the door shut behind him. Liam smirked as he finally got the suit on; though Louis hated it, he couldn’t help but love the tight fit of the suit. He turned back to Zayn, grinning when he caught the boy staring at his fit body.

“Like what you see?” Zayn blushed but nodded his head with a shy smile. Liam leaned in for another quick kiss; his hands just ghosting over Zayn’s hips before he was pulling away far too early for his liking.

“I could stay back, if you want. Not like they don’t know how to handle a robbery.” Liam smiled at the thought of staying in his room with Zayn all day. The idea of it was far better then having to deal with another group of wannabe robbers who just wanted their five seconds of fame. His boyfriend shook his head with a grin.

“Nope, you’ve got responsibilities, babe. Go kick their arses, yeah?” Liam nodded, kissing Zayn once again before finally heading out of his room. He looked back over his shoulder and smiled at the sight of Zayn, his hair and clothes ruffled from sleep, watching him walk away with this smile on his face. This smile that made Liam’s chest fill with this warm feeling that made his flames seem like nothing. He almost stopped walking when he realized what that feeling was; love. He loved Zayn. He was in fucking love with Zayn.

Part of him wanted to turn back around, to pull Zayn into his arms and shower him with kisses and affection. He wanted to say I love you until the three words lost their meaning; he wanted to just let the smaller boy know how important he had become for Liam over these past four months.

But he would have time for that. When he was back home, and when Zayn was back in his arms, he would tell him. He would repeat it over and over again, until even he would get sick of it. So that night, when the stars were just beginning to shine in the sky and Zayn’s eyelids fluttered with exhaustion, he told him.

And Zayn just smiled sleepily, burying himself further into Liam’s chest with a content sigh. “I love you too.”

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you all for reading and all of the support on my other stories :)
> 
> Tumblr: zayn-centric-duh


End file.
